Blank feeding mechanism



06L 1960 w. R. STELLING, JR., ETAL 2,954,975

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 12. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. WALTER R. STELLING JV. EVERETT S. FAULLS Jr.

m WM

Oct. 4, 1960 w. R. STELLING, JR, ET 2,954,975

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 12, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. WALTER R. STELLING Jr. iq ERETT S. FAULLS Jr.

M, MWM

.Oct. 4, 1960 w. R. STELLING, JR,, ETAL 2,954,975

BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 12. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. WALTER R. STELLING Jr. EX ERETT S. FAULLS Jr.

a z #W-flz OVffornegs BLANK'FEEDING MECHANISM Walter R. Stelling, Jr., and Everett S. Faulls, Jr., Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Faustel, Inc., Butler, WlS., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed June 1 2, 1958, Ser. No. 741,595 "14 Claims. (c1. 271-7 T his invention relates to mechanism for rapidly loading and unloading carton blanks or the like into and out of a machine, such as apunch press.

According to the present invention, an improved conveyor for the blanks is provided, which conveyor takes the form of a suction belt that conveys one blank at a time into the machine and also quickly removes it therefrom for deposit onto another conveyor.

Another aspect of the invention provides improved infeed and outfeed rolls which act in combination and are synchronized with the above suction belt to provide a particularly eflicient blank feeding mechanism.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide segmented infeed and outfeed rolls that continuously rotate in opposite directions to rapidly move each blank into and out of the machine, respectively.

The present feeding mechanism provides a suction belt that delivers .a blank to the. infeed rolls, which blank then remains at the entrance of the rolls until the blank that is in the machine is forced out by the outfeed rolls, at which time the infeed rolls engage the waiting blank and move it into the machine. The arrangement is such that one blankis always awaiting entrance into the machine while another blank is in the machine. The outfeed rolls do not completely release the blank until it is engagedby the outgoing side of the suction belt.

The invention also provides a feed mechanism having a carton blank feeding frame assembly, including a suction belt assembly and blank supply chute, which frame assembly is readily adjustable in respect to the feed rolls of the mechanism, so as to readily accommodate various sizes of blanks.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: V

Figure 1 is a perspective View ofa machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1 certain parts being in section or removed forclarity;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the drive means for the various parts of the machine, the view showing the drive means in extended or exploded position for clarity;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3, but on a reduced scale, and showing the outfeed rolls; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3, but on a reduced scale, and showing an infeed roll and the rotary guide. v

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the machine comprises a pair of spaced apart framemembers 1 which are rigidly connected together by cross braces 2 to form a main frame 3. An adjustable feed frame 4, comprising a pair of parallel side members 5, is pivotally mounted within the main frame on its pivot shaft 6 which is secured at each end to the main members 1. A bolt 7. extends through each member 1 and extends inwardly tniitfidf. ates at ffl f atented Oct. 4, 1950,

2. therefrom to engage an arcuate slot 7a in the frame members 4. 'The bolts 7 thus hold the feed frame 4 inany position to which it is adjusted with respect to the main frame 3.

A carton chute C is secured to the feed frame and has sides 8 which are slideably mounted on cross rod 9 and threadably engaged on the screw shaft 10 which is rotatably mounted in the feed frame. By turning handwheel 11, shaft 10 can be made to rotate in either direction thus moving the sides toward or away from one another to accommodate various sized cartons. The chute also includes a fixed gate 12 which permits only one carton at a time to pass beneath it, as will appear.

On the adjustable feed frame 4 is also mounted an endless belt 13 which is perforated across its central portion and forms a suction belt to convey blanks B from the chute and also has other functions to be later described. Belt 13 is trained around its upper driven roll 13a which is rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings 13b carried on shaft 130. This shaft in turn is adjustably mounted in slots 13d of the feed frame members 5 by set screws 13c. These screws threadably extend through the ends of the shaft and bear against the feed frame to adjust the tension of belt 13. Secured to roll 13a isa pulley 14 over which is trained the drive belt 15. The suction belt is also trained around the front roll 16 which is of smaller diameter than roll 13a and is located on the op-. posite side of the feed chute therefrom. Roll 16 is mounted in anti-friction bearings 17 on shaft 18, the latter of which is secured in the frame members 5.

Thus the bottom of the chute is open to permit one blank at a time to be picked up by the upper flight of the suction belt which passes directly beneath the chute.

The lower edge of the gate 12 is spaced above the belt a distance only slightly larger than the thickness of a blank, so that only one blank can pass from the chute at a time. 4

A drive shaft 20 is rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings 21 that are supported in main frame members 1. This shaft has a pulley 22 secured toward one end thereof and around which the belt 15 is trained so as to drive the suction belt shaft 130.

The central portion of drive shaft 20 has a gear 24 fixed thereto which is in constant mesh with gears 25and 26that are in-t urn fixed, respectively, to the delivery belt drive shaft 27 and the main drive shaft 28. Shafts 27 and 28 are rotatably mounted at each end in their respective anti-friction bearings 29 and 30 supported in the frame members 1.

' The deliverybelt drive shaft 27 has a pulley 32 secured adjacent one of its ends and around which is trained the flexible belt 33 for driving the pulley 34 secured to thedelivery belt roll 35. Roll 35 is rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings 36 on shaft 37. Shaft 37 is adjustably mounted on set screws 38 threadably extending therethrough and bearing against frame member 1. The ends of shaft 37 have flat portions which slide in slots 40 of the frame. A spring biased idler 39 maintains proper tension of belt 33. j

A delivery belt 42 is trained around roll 35 and also around the roll 43 which is located directly under the suction belt roll 16. Roll 43 is mounted in anti-friction bearing assemblies44 carried on shaft 45 which in turn is mounted at each end in the bearings 46 in frame members 1. The tautness of delivery belt 42 is adjusted by set screws 38 and the peripheral speed of this belt is somewhat less than that of the suction belt. As a result, theblanks are dropped onto this delivery belt (as will appear) in overlapping relationship to one another. A retarderroll 48 is freely mounted .by its shaft 49 in the slots 50 in frame 3 andrests on roll 35 to permit only i one blank at a time to leave the machine, the blank fall- 3 ing therefrom by gravity into the stacker 51. In other Words, roll 48 acts to hold any blanks in excess of one, from falling off roll 35. This action allows a blank to fall only when it is clear of the roll 35 and prevents an accumulation of overlapping blanks from tipping off the roll in a group. b v

A pulley 52 is secured to shaft 45 and through belt 53 drives pulley 54 secured to shaft 55 which is mounted at each of its ends in bearings 56 in frame members 1. Axially spaced gears 58 and 59 are fixed to. shaft 4-5 and are in constant mesh with gears 60 and 6]., respectively, that in turn are fixed to tubiilar shafts 64 M The tubular share 63, 64 are rotatably inoun t ed' in bearings 65 on shaft 55 arid are driven thfough their respective gears 60, 61. Shaft 55 driven independently of the tubular shafts and a pair of axially spaced outfeed back-up rolls 67 are secured thereto. An infeed back-up roll 68 is secured to each of the tubular shafts 63, '64 adjacent the outfeed back-up rolls 67 and rotate in a direction opposite thereto. Also secured to each of the'tubular shafts 63, 64 is an infeed gear 70 each of which constantly mesh' with a corresponding infeed gear 71. I, a I

Gears 71 are ea-eh eeured to their respective tubular shafts 72, 73 rotatably mounteclin bearings 74, 75, respectively, on shaft 77. Shaft 77 is rotatably mounted in beariiigs 78 carried in the frame members 1. Shaft 55 drives shaft 77 through the constant mesh outfeed gears 80, 81 secured, respectively, to theseshafts.

Outfe'ed rolls 83 are secured to shaft 77 and bear during part of their rotation, against their mating and smaller outfeed back-up rolls 67 on shaft 55. Both outfeed back-up rolls 67 and outfeed rolls 83 are positively driven by their respective shafts 55 and 77, the latter of which are synchronized through their gears 80, 81.

Large axially spaced infeed rolls 85 are secured to their respective tubular shafts 72, 73 and bear, during a portion of their rotation, against their smaller mating infeed back-up rolls 68. In this mariner the matinginfeed rolls 68 and 85 are both positively driven by their respective tubular shafts, which shafts are synchronized as to speed. by means of their gears 70,71.

The pairs of oppositely rotating feed rolls 83- and 85 are segmented so only one pair or the other is acting on a blank at any one time. The periphery of outfeed rolls 83 is defined by a raised portion 83a whichbegins at 83b and terminates at 830, in respect to the direction of roll travel. The periphery of infeed rolls 85 also have a raised portion 85d that iscircumferentially offset from portion 83a of roll 83. Raised portion 85a begins at 85b and terminates at 850 in respect to; the direction of rotation.

These raised portions are preferably formed of. rubber or other material which provides. 'goodfrictional contact with the blanks, and these portions are sized, for the particular embodiment of the invention, shown, as follows. The raised or feedportions 83a'and85a are both about 6 /2 inches in length on the circumference while the cut away or no contact portions are about 11 inches in circumferential length making av totalof about 17% inches for the circumferential size of the rolls. The arrangement is such that in one revolution of these rolls, the blank is fed 6 /2 inches into the die, permitted to rest during 4% inches of roll travel during which the punching operation is performed, and then fed 6 /2 inches out of the die.

To-insure even feeding of the blankacross its Width,

the axially spaced infeed rolls 85, on shaft 77 are adjustable relative to one another in respectto their distance from the blank. The axially. spaced outfeed rolls 83 are similarly. adjustablewith respect to each other so as,

to insure an even feeding force acros the width of the blank, These adjustments are made at eachrsideof the machine as follows. 89' formed integrally on one side,which portion is oscil- An arm 88 has acircular portion,

latably mounted about point 89a, in a bore 90 in each of the frame members 1. The shaft bearing assembly 78 is eccentrically mounted in portion 89 with respect to point 89a, and therefore rotation of the arm 88, by means of the set screw adjustment 92, causes either end of the roller carrying shafts .to move toward or away from the blank. Thus either end of the shafts may be separately adjusted to provide equal force on each side of the blank, that is to say, so that each of the rolls 85 contacts the blank equally and similarly, each of rolls 83 apply equal force.

A vacuum chamber 94 (Fig. 2) is positioned between the upper and lower flights of the suction belt and adjacent its feed roll end. A conduit 95 is in communication with this chamber via duct 97 (Fig. l) and connects the chamber to a suction pump 99 or the like for creating a vacuum in the chamber. The upper and lower flights pass over the open upper and lower sides, respectively, of the chamber andthe chamber acts to create a suction through the belt perforations as they pass by. a

The feed frame 4 and its assembly including the suction belt, vacuum chamber and carton blank chute are thus all adjustable about shaft 6 as a unit in respect to the main frame. More particularly, the delivery end of the suction belt is adjustable in a generally horizontal direction in respect to the feed rolls tothereby accommodate various sized cartons. This adjustment is easily made by loosening bolts 7, positioning the feed frame, and then re-tightening these bolts.

The punch press 100 comprises a fixed lower die 101 and a vertically movable upper die 102 carrying a stop 103 that is adapted to enter a slot 104 in the lower die.

-A second gate 106 is carried by the upper die for movement therewith and extends downwardly, terminating immediately in front of the feedrolls.

The. peripheral speed of the infeed rolls is slightly greater than the linear speed of the suction belt.

The feed operation of a blank is as follows. The upper flight of the suction belt grasps the lowermost blank in the chute and conveys it under the fixed gate 12. If the upper die is down (indicating that a blank is in the die), the second gate 106 is also down and prevents the incoming blank from passing it. After the operation has been performed by the punch press, such as the riveting of a metal tear strip 107 (Fig. 1). on the edge of the blank, the upper die and second gate begin to rise. At this time the outfe'ed roll projections 83a contact the finished blank and start to move it outwardly. As the finished blank is being moved outwardly by the outfeed rolls, the more slowly moving suction belt is carrying the incoming blank toward the feed rolls. As the rear edge of the finished outgoing blank passes the vertical plane passing through the center line of the feed rolls, the leading edge of the incoming blank also passes this vertical plane.

In order to prevent the outgoing blank, particularly the affixed tear strip 107, from impeding the movemefit of or catching the incoming blank, segmented rotary guides 110 are fixed to the tubular shafts 72, 73 adjacent to the feed-in rolls for rotation therewith. However, the raised portions or projections 111 of the rotary guides are circumferentially co-extensive with the raised portions 83a of the outfeed rolls but are of greater diameter. As a result, the projections 111 of the guides act to hold the sides of the outgoing blank down below the incoming blank. As the outgoing blank passes from the outfeed rolls, the projections 111 terminate, as do projections As the Outgoing blank leaves the; outfeed rolls it is '5. grasped by the suction on the lower flight of belt'13. In other words,'it is grasped by the belt before itis completely released by the outfeed rolls. .It is then carried away from the rolls by the belt until it reaches a point where no further suction is applied to it. The blank then falls onto the slower moving delivery belt in overlapping relationship to the previously completed blanks.

The retarder roll 48 then permits the blanks to fall one at a time into the stacker 51.

The feed rolls make one complete revolution for each stroke of the press. The suction belt delivers a carton blank to the feed rolls but the blank is not permitted to enter while the outfeed rolls are in engagement.

the waiting carton is grasped by the infeed rolls and inserted into the die. There will always be a blank awaiting entrance into the die while another blank is being operated on.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

We claim:

1. A carton blank feeding mechanism comprising-feed rolls for infeed and outfeed of single blanks from the same side of said feed rolls, apair of spaced apart support rolls, one of said support rolls being located closely adjacent said feed rolls, a perforated endless suction belt having spaced apart upper and lower flights and trained around said support rolls, and a vacuum chamber between said flights and creating a suction on both said flights, said upper flight being adapted to hold said blanks by suction for conveyance to said infeed roll and said lower flight is adapted to subsequently hold said blanks by suction for conveyance from said outfeed roll.

2. A carton blank feeding mechanism comprising, rotatable feed rolls for receiving and discharging blanks, a pair of spaced apart belt support rolls, a perforated endless suction belt trained around said support rolls to define spaced apart upper and lower, one of said support rolls located adjacent said feed rolls, and a vacuum chamber between said flights and adapted to create a suction on both said flights, said upper flight being adapted to holdsaid blanks by suction for conveyance to said feed rolls and said lower flight is adapted to subsequently grasp said blanks before complete release from said feed rolls for conveyance therefrom.

3. A carton blank feeding mechanism, comprising, coaxially aligned infeed and outfeed rolls, a pair of belt support rolls, one of said support rolls being located adjacent said feed rolls, a perforated endless suction belt trained around said support rolls and having an upper flight for presenting a blank to said infeed roll and also having a lower flight for receiving a blank from said outfeed roll, and a vacuum chamber between said flights and adapted to create a suction on portions of both said flights whereby blanks are held against said portions, said chamber being so located in respect to said outfeed roll that said lower flight will grasp a blank before the latter is completely released from said outfeed roll.

4. Feed roll mechanism for a carton blank feeding machine having means for conveying a blank to said mechanism, said mechanism comprising infeed and outfeed rolls having raised feed portions defining part of their peripheries for contacting said blank, said rolls also having recessed portions defining the rest of their peripheries, the raised portion of said infeed rolls being spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact said blank at different times from one another, at least a part of said recessed portions of said rolls being in time with one another whereby neither of said rolls contact said blank during rotation of said parts of said recessed portions past said blank, and means for rotating said rolls.

5'. Feed roll mechanism for a carton blank feeding ma- AS. soon as the finished blank is free of the outfeed rolls,

chine having means forconveying a blank to said mecha nism, said mechanism comprising coaxially arranged infeed andoutfeed rolls having raised feed portions defining part of their peripheries for contacting said blank, said rolls also having recessed portions defining the rest of their peripheries, the raised portion of said infeed roll being circumferentially spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact said blank at different times, said recessed portions of said rolls being generally in axial alignment whereby neither of saidrolls contact said blank during rotation of said recessed portions past said blank, and means for continuously rotating said rolls in opposite directions.

6. Feed roll mechanism for a carton blank feeding machine comprising, coaxially arranged infeed and outfeed rolls having raised feed portions defining part of their peripheries for contacting a blank, said rolls also having recessed portions defining the rest of their peripheries, the raised portion of said infeed roll being circumferentially spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact said blank at different times, at least a part of said recessed portions of said rolls being in circumferential alignment whereby neither of said rolls contact said blank during rotation of said parts of said recessed portions past said blank, means for continuously rotating said rolls in opposite directions, and a pair of rotary guide members coaxially arranged with respect to said rolls, said members having raised portions around part of their peripheries which generally are circumferentiallycoextensive with the raised feed portion of said outfeed roll, whereby the sides of an outgoing blank are held away from an incoming blank,

7. A carton blank feeding machine comprising, coaxially arranged infeed and outfeed rolls having raised feed portions defining part of their peripheries for contacting a blank, said rolls also having recessed portions defining the rest of their peripheries, the raised portion of said infeed roll being circumferentially spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact said blank at different times, said recessed portions of said rolls being generally in axial alignment whereby neither of said rolls contact said blank during rotation of said recessed portions-past said blank, means for continuously rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a perfonated endless suction belt having spaced apart upper and lower flights and adapted to pass closely adjacent said rolls, and a vacuum chamber between said flights and creating a suction on both said flights whereby blanks are held on said upper flight by suction for conveyance to said infeed roll and are subsequently held on said lower flight by suction for conveyance from said outfeed roll.

8. A carton blank feeding machine comprising, coaxially arranged infeed and outfeed rolls having blank contacting raised feed portions defining part of their peripheries, said rolls also having recessed portions defining the rest of their peripheries, the raised portion of said infeed roll being circumferentiaily' spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact a blank at different times, said recessed portions of each of said rolls being generally in axial alignment whereby neither of said rolls contact a blank during rotation of said recessed portions past a blank, means for continuously rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a perforated endless suction belt having spaced apart upper and lower flights, respectively, for conveying a blank to and away from said rolls, a vacuum chamber between said flights and creating a suction on both said flights whereby an infeeding blank is held on said upper flight by suction for conveyance to said rolls, and means for holding said infeeding blank on said upper flight when another blank is in said rolls, said other blank subsequently being grasped by suction by said lower flight before complete release by said outfeed roll.

9. A carton blank feeding machine comprising; a main frame having feed rolls rotatably mounted therein;

a feed frame adjustably mounted in said main frame and including, a perforated suction belt having upper and lower flight for conveying a blank, respectively; to and from said rolls, a vacuum chamber between said flights for creating a suction inwardly through said flights, and a chute for supplying blanks to said upper flight; said feed frame being adjustable in a generally horizontal direction so as to vary the horizontal distance of said belt from said feed rolls.

10. A carton blank feedings machine comprising; a main frame having feed IOlls rotatably mounted therein and also having an endless delivery belt; a feed frame pivotally mounted within said main frame and including, a perforated suction belt having an upper flight for conveying a blank to said rolls and also having a lower flight for conveying a blank from said rolls and to said delivery belt, a vacuum chamber between said flights for creating a suction inwardly through said flights, and a chute for supplying blank to said upper flight; said feed frame swingable in said main frame in a generally horizontal direction so as to vary the distance between said feed rolls and suction belt.

11. Acarton blank feeding machine comprising, in feed and outfeed rolls having raised feed portions for contacting a blank and also having recessed portions, the raised portion of saidinfeed roll being circumferentially spaced from said raised portion of said outfeed roll to thereby contact said blank at different times, a perforated,

endless suction belt having spaced apart upper and lower flights and adapted to pass closely' adjacent said rolls, and

a vacuum chamber between said flights and creating a. suction on both said flightswhereby blanks are held on.

said upper flight by suction for conveyance to said infeed roll and are subsequently held on said lower flight by suctionfor conveyance from said outfeed roll.

- 12. A device as defined in claim 11 further characterized in that the peripheral speed of theinfeed roll is greater than the linear speed of the suction belt,

13. A carton blank feeding mechanism comprising, rotatable infeed and outfeed rolls, a pair of spaced apart belt support rolls, a perforated endless suction belt trained around said support rolls and having an upper and a lower flight, one of said support rolls mounted adjacent said, feed rolls, a-vacuu-m chamber between said flights and adapted to create a suction on both said flights to hold blanks thereon for conveyance to and from said feed rolls, means to drive said feed rolls, and means to drive said belt at a lower linear speed than the peripheral speed of said infeed rolL.

14. A device as defined in, claim 13 further charac-- terized in that said chamber is located at such a distance from said outfeed roll that said lower flight will grasp a blank before the latter is completely released from said outfeed roll.

Nejedly' Nov. 5, 1935 Nebolsine Oct, 25, 1949,; 

